# Microsoft OneNote vs Folio

The clearest difference is chart position: Microsoft OneNote at #83 against Folio's unranked. Microsoft OneNote also leads on device support (4 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Microsoft OneNote sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and Folio sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Microsoft OneNote ships an update weekly, Folio every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Microsoft OneNote | Folio |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.1M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microsoft-onenote/id410395246/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1.1M** | — |
| Positive reviews | 44.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Best chart rank | **#83** | — |
| Size | 414 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Vision Pro** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Microsoft Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/298856275) | [毅军 刘](https://appshunter.io/developer/6791397653) |

## What reviewers say

### Microsoft OneNote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microsoft-onenote/id410395246)

**Currently charting:** #83 Top Free · Productivity (US App Store)

Capture and organize your thoughts, ideas, and plans with a powerful digital note-taking tool. Utilize AI features for summaries and transcription, and seamlessly sync notes across all your devices. Collaborate on projects and integrate with other Microsoft Office apps.

**Highlights:** AI-powered Copilot notebooks, Voice transcription and smart notes, Document scanning and text extraction, Cross-device synchronization, Collaboration on notes and ideas, Integration with Microsoft Office

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Microsoft 365 Personal | $9.99 | per month |
| Microsoft 365 Personal | $11.99 | per month |
| Microsoft 365 Family | $12.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Simple, works well
- 👍 Great for planning
- 👍 Powerful note-taking app
- 👍 Invaluable tool for note taking
- 👍 Used for years, couldn't be without this app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔨 Could be better
- 🔨 Formatting issues on mobile app
- 🔨 Buggy widget, no dark app icon
- 🐛 Glitchy, crashes often
- 🐛 Terrible sync speeds

**Reported bugs**

- Cursor positioning is erratic
- Search function does not work well
- Ink to text conversion missing on iPad
- Syncing issues, notes not syncing properly across devices
- Crashing, freezing, and performance issues

**Requested features**

- Native Markdown support and merged cell support
- Ruler, ability to choose or create notebook covers
- Ability to password protect app or individual notebooks
- Option to open on last opened page instead of Home
- Ability to turn note into task that appears on To Do and Planner


### Folio

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/folio/id6791799815)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Folio Pro Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Folio Pro Yearly | $29.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Microsoft OneNote free?

Microsoft OneNote is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Folio free?

Folio is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Microsoft OneNote or Folio have ads?

Neither Microsoft OneNote nor Folio shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Microsoft OneNote or Folio?

Microsoft OneNote ships an update weekly, and Folio every 5 days. Most recently, Microsoft OneNote was updated on November 3, 2026 and Folio on October 25, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*